Hozier

Singer from Wicklow

Tracks (14)
LAST PLAYED ON EIREWAVE:
Almost (Sweet Music)

Hozier Biography

Andrew Hozier-Byrne, known professionally by the mononym Hozier, is an Irish musician, singer and songwriter from County Wicklow. In 2013, he released his debut EP, featuring the hit single "Take Me to Church". His eponymous debut studio album released in 2014, went number one in Ireland and scored top ten positions on global charts. It has attained a 6× Platinum accreditation from Ireland, indicating sales of over 90,000 copies. Hozier released his fourth EP in 2018 entitled Nina Cried Power, featuring the title track as a single.Career
Beginnings
Hozier was born in Bray, Ireland. Hozier's father is a local blues drummer whose day job was working at a bank until an operation to help...

Andrew Hozier-Byrne, known professionally by the mononym Hozier, is an Irish musician, singer and songwriter from County Wicklow. In 2013, he released his debut EP, featuring the hit single "Take Me to Church". His eponymous debut studio album released in 2014, went number one in Ireland and scored top ten positions on global charts. It has attained a 6× Platinum accreditation from Ireland, indicating sales of over 90,000 copies. Hozier released his fourth EP in 2018 entitled Nina Cried Power, featuring the title track as a single.

Career

Beginnings

Hozier was born in Bray, Ireland. Hozier's father is a local blues drummer whose day job was working at a bank until an operation to help a spinal problem resulted in nerve damage severe enough to necessitate a wheelchair. His mother is an artist.

Hozier and his brother were raised in the minority Protestant Quaker faith. Hozier has been writing songs since the age of 15. Hozier attended Delgany National School and St. Gerard's School before he began studying music in Trinity College, Dublin. He dropped out midway through his first year to record demos for Universal Music.

While in Trinity, Hozier became involved with the Trinity Orchestra. He was a member of the choral ensemble Anúna from 2009 to 2012, and appears as a soloist on their 2012 release Illumination singing "La Chanson de Mardi Gras". He toured and sang with the group internationally including performances in Norway and the Netherlands.

Hozier played at Oxegen Festival in 2009 and 2010.

2013–2016: Hozier

Main article: Hozier (album)

Hozier performing at Lollapalooza, Chicago in January 2014.

In July 2013, Hozier released the EP Take Me to Church. The title track was a blues-gospel pop song with lyrics about finding solace in a lover, and its video was directed by Brendan Canty and depicts anti-gay violence in Russia. Released in September, the video was shared by Stephen Fry, appeared on the front page of Reddit, and went viral. The single achieved global success, scoring top five positions around the world and gaining multi-platinum certifications. In 2014, Hozier released his second EP From Eden. One of the tracks "Cherry Wine" appeared in Zach Braff's movie "Wish I Was Here", chosen for its heartbreaking lyrics and poetry. The video for the song was released to raise awareness of domestic violence, and was later performed on the Late Late Show with James Corden.

Hozier released his self-titled album, Hozier in September 2014. It featured five singles, including "Take Me to Church", "Someone New", "Work Song", and "From Eden". "Take Me to Church" was later nominated at the 57th Annual Grammy Awards for Song of the Year in 2015. At the awards show, he performed the song with Annie Lennox, and later at the 2015 Billboard Music Awards. On 12 November 2015, he won the VH1 Artist of the Year, based on fan votes. He also performed "Take Me to Church" and The Beatles' "Blackbird" with singer Tori Kelly. In June 2016, Hozier released "Better Love", a song part of the Legend of Tarzan soundtrack.

Hozier performing at the Troubadour in West Hollywood.

2018: Nina Cried Power EP

In September 2018, Hozier returned with the release of the EP Nina Cried Power. The record features a collaboration with Mavis Staples on the title track, as well as three other songs, entitled "NFWMB", "Moment's Silence", and "Shrike". The singer then stated that he was recording his second studio album.

Hozier released the single "Movement" on 14 November 2018.

2019: Wasteland, Baby!

His second album Wasteland, Baby!, is scheduled to be released in 2019. On 1/17/19 Hozier announced a March 1 release of the new album.